Kanye Calls Ben Carson the 'Most Brilliant Guy,' Still Plans 2020 Run

Ben Carson is getting some political love from an unlikely place: Kanye West.

The rapper, who has said he wants to run for president in 2020, called the retired neurosurgeon a "brilliant guy" in a new interview with Vanity Fair. And he said he even tried to contact the Republican presidential contender.

"When I run for president, I’d prefer not to run against someone," he said. "I would be like 'I want to work with you.' As soon as I heard [Ben] Carson speak, I tried for three weeks to get on the phone with him. I was like this is the most brilliant guy.

"And I think all the people running right now have something that each of the others needs. But the idea of this separation and this gladiator battle takes away from the main focus that the world needs help and the world needs all the people in a position of power or influence to come together," West added, explaining that he "definitely" still plans on running in 2020.